Friarelli is the Neapolitan name for broccoli rabe and it’s quite
the favorite in Naples. I came about this dish accidently when
ordering at Donna Margherita at vico Alabardieri 4/6 (Tel: 081/ 400129) in Naples. The dish on the menu was called salsicce e friarelli, and I had ordered it
from the menu heading called pagnotini
which I misunderstood, thinking this was just the meat and vegetable, but in
fact it was a category of pizzas. As a
pizza, it’s magnificent, but I just wasn’t that hungry. The waiter changed my order and was
absolutely convincing that there was no problem in doing so. The sausage was taken out of its skin and
flattened into two patties and fried in olive oil along with the friarelli which was cooked in olive oil,
garlic, and red chile flakes. This was
served with French fries and lemon. It
was great.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

2 pounds broccoli rabe, heavy
stems removed

˝ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, thinly
sliced

2 whole dried red chiles

2 salted
anchovy fillets, rinsed

2 pounds (about 6) hot Italian
sausages, removed from their casing and formed into patties

Freshly ground black pepper to
taste (optional)

1. Bring a
large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat, salt, and then plunge the
broccoli rabe stems in and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining pieces and cook until very soft, about 8 minutes. Drain well.

2. In a
flameproof casserole or large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat with
the garlic, chiles, and anchovy until sizzling.
Add the broccoli rape and season with salt. Cover, and cook the broccoli rape, stirring
occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Discard the chiles.

3. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the sausage
patties until crispy on both sides over medium heat, about 20 minutes. Arrange the broccoli rabe on a platter,
season with black pepper, if desired, and place the sausage patties on
top. Serve hot

Cucina Paradiso is a wonderfully insightful and refreshingly personal exploration of one of the world’s most exciting cuisines--full of rich, colorful, and highly seasoned dishes unlike any other Italian food you know. The book is also full of fascinating history. Food is the prism through which Clifford Wright views Sicily and Sicilian culture. - Paula Wolfert, author of Paula Wolfert’s World of Food, Mediterranean Cooking, The Cooking of South-West France, an

Clifford Wright has done it again! Not only does Little Foods of the Mediterranean provide hundreds of mouth-watering recipes, it also offers a lively history of their origins. Wright shares with us the centuries-old philosophy of eating that underlies these marvelous little foods, seasoning his text with spicy etymologies along with copious doses of Aleppo pepper and harisa. - Darra Goldstein, Editor, Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture